[photomankc]

Clearance Plane - Z rapid height between features (always active throughout the program - "global")
Rapid Plane - Z rapid height WITHIN a feature (only active at feature level - "local")
Feed Plane - Z "Feed Switch" height (only active at feature level - "local")

That actually helps a bit. So if I understand correctly I could set the Rapid plane high enough to clear part+clamps, but maintain the feed switch at say 0.2" so I'm not drilling air for 30 seconds? That seems reasonable but the math would be different in each feature below the Z zero height. I'll try that out and see if that works better.

[jrmach]

That actually helps a bit. So if I understand correctly I could set the Rapid plane high enough to clear part+clamps, but maintain the feed switch at say 0.2" so I'm not drilling air for 30 seconds? That seems reasonable but the math would be different in each feature below the Z zero height. I'll try that out and see if that works better.

Report back please

[photomankc]

No, the observed behavior even when I change the Rapid Plane is to move from one hole to the next at the feed-change height. The code output is a G83 then a series of X/Y pairs. That explains the behavior, which is completely undesirable, now to figure out how to fix it.

[SBC Cycle]

I was finally able to open your file (had to update the Demo to Build 1547 just before my support ran out). The problem is likely your Rapid plane. If you want the tool to retract above Z zero before rapiding to the next hole, it will need to be greater than 1.400" (for your specific example). If you leave the Feed plane at 0.100", the tool should retract to the Rapid plane, move to the next hole, rapid to the Feed plane, then start drilling 0.100" from the Top of Feature. No wasted drilling "air".

I'm not familiar with the EMC/LinuxCNC control but standard drilling cycles establish the "R" plane by the last Z height before any drill cycle is called. It doesn't matter that your Clearance plane is set to 2.000" above Z zero, you have commanded another Z height of -1.200" (+0.200" measured incrementally from the "Top of Feature" which is -1.400") just before the drill cycle was called. That is now the "R" plane (or retract point) for the drill cycle. This is standard behavior for just about every controller I've used - but please read on.

You should be aware of another thing that will have an affect on the drill cycle. No matter what you set the Rapid plane to, if the post processor is outputting a "G99" after the G83, it will rapid to the next hole using the Feed plane as a retract point. This is also standard behavior and you may need to change your post to switch to "G98" instead. G98 enforces a retract all the way to the "R" plane. If there is no G98 or G99 present in the drill cycle, you will have to check your machine parameters to see what it uses as a default.

[SBC Cycle]

Well then that explains it
I will re- phrase what I said earlier then,,the only way to make the drill "appear"simulate doing more than one hole at a time without messing up, is to create more than one feature or use a tool path pattern.This is of course meant for the situation above.Where the drill rapids inside a couple inches the drill,retracts rapids over,then in the next hole and so on.

Ah, now I understand what you mean and I see the same thing in the simulation. The drill never returns to the Retract point when doing multiple holes.

Sorry, what you guys where saying was spot on but I missed the context, lol.

[photomankc]

You should be aware of another thing that will have an affect on the drill cycle. No matter what you set the Rapid plane to, if the post processor is outputting a "G99" after the G83, it will rapid to the next hole using the Feed plane as a retract point. This is also standard behavior and you may need to change your post to switch to "G98" instead. G98 enforces a retract all the way to the "R" plane. If there is no G98 or G99 present in the drill cycle, you will have to check your machine parameters to see what it uses as a default.

I'll look at my post processor and see if I can work out how to make that happen. Now that I get what's going on I can set the rapid plane but I want the drill to ALWAYS go there before moving to the next hole so I'll have to see how to get that behavior.

[jrmach]

photomankc,,creating a separate feature for each hole works.Because it makes the tool go to clearance plane between features.Set your clearance plane lower if you want.
I know this is a pia,BUT,,,you do know you can "Save" and "Load" features ? That speeds things up a lot.
Also if you can use a "Tool Path Pattern" the tool will behave correctly.
If you figure something else,please let us know.

I honestly do not know how it could be achieved without either another button for more control or maybe scripting with an advanced tab.
The latter is beyond me.

[FFord66]

I have just come up with problem as well. Interesting that it does not happen when milling only in drilling cycle.